Authors
Won-Kyung Yang, Min Cheol Pyo, Yang-Chun Park, Seung-Hyung Kim, Mi Seon Woo, Yea Ji Park, Buhee La
Published in
Journal of medicinal food. Pages 1096620X261483985. Oct 26, 2026. Epub Oct 26, 2026.
Abstract
Exposure to particulate matter (PM) is a major contributor to several respiratory diseases in humans. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of lotus leaf (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) extracts (NNCI_E) against PM-induced respiratory damage using in vitro and in vivo models. NNCI_E treatment ameliorated PM-induced increase in oxidative stress in A549 cells and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of PM-exposed mice. In addition, NNCI_E treatment increased the total white blood cell count and lymphocyte levels in the serum of PM-exposed mice and downregulated the expression of inflammatory mediators and cytokines in the BALF and lung tissues, respectively. Histopathological and molecular biomarker analyses demonstrated that NNCI_E treatment attenuated PM-induced respiratory dysfunction indicators, as evidenced by a significant reduction in serum symmetric dimethylarginine levels, and successfully ameliorated PM-induced lung damage. Mechanistically, the protective effects of NNCI_E against PM-induced damage were associated with the modulation of pyroptosis-associated markers and the potential inhibition of PM-induced activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa B pathways. In conclusion, these findings suggest the potential of NNCI_E as a therapeutic agent against PM-induced respiratory injury.
PMID:
42934946
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 27 Oct 2026.
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